On April 29th, the United States Court Of Appeals ordered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to remove the dangerous pesticide and neurotoxin Chlorpyrifos from all food-related uses. This case marks a “huge victory” for American children, farmworkers, and the general population. We’re exposed daily to harmful pesticides and drugs deemed “safe” by the EPA and FDA. It’s about time we take matters into our own hands.
The lawsuit was filed by health and labor organizations represented by Earthjustice. This non-profit environmental law organization vows to protect people’s health and preserve the environment. The managing attorney at Earthjustice, Patti Goldman, shared the following statement:
“The Court got it right. The EPA’s time is now up. The EPA must now follow the law, ban chlorpyrifos, and protect children and farmworkers from a pesticide we know is linked to numerous developmental harms. It would be unconscionable for the EPA to expose children to this pesticide for any longer. We urge them to do the right thing at long last. However, chlorpyrifos is just one of the dozens of organophosphates used on our fruits and vegetables. So while we celebrate this win today, the EPA must also ban all organophosphates to fully protect public health.”
Third Reich chemists in Nazi Germany initially developed organophosphates (the chemical class that includes chlorpyrifos) for use as pesticides during the 1940s. After failing to make them agriculturally safe, the German military adopted them as chemical weapons against the opposing Allies during World War II. These compounds were used to develop devastating nerve gases like Tabun, Sarin, and Soman. After the war, when Nazi scientists brought the formulas for these compounds to America through Operation Paperclip, American companies were granted access to organophosphates and started synthesizing them for use as pesticides.
The Center For Disease Control (CDC) cites organophosphates are linked to developmental disorders like autism and attention deficit disorder (ADD) in children. Other side effects due to the long-term exposure to these neurotoxins include memory loss, hand tremors, confusion, anxiety, loss of appetite, disorientation, depression, weakness, headaches, diarrhea, nausea, and death. Many scientific studies and organizations have attested to the dangers of these chemical compounds. They are well aware of their acute and long-term effects on the body, even stating that exposure to them can be life-threatening.
Chlorpyrifos is one of the most common pesticides used to date. Even though it was banned from household use in 2001, it’s still regularly used on fruits and vegetables such as apples, strawberries, grapes, potatoes, corn, and more. Many other organophosphate compounds are used on our food. They can contaminate our water, air supply and even poison the farmers and agricultural workers exposed to them. Research has concluded that around 44% of farmers and agricultural workers (378 million people) are acutely poisoned each year due to pesticide exposure on farms, a number which sat at 25 million in 1990.
Experts and officials have had organophosphates on the chopping block for years due to their safety concerns and laundry list of side effects. If these unsettling facts don’t raise a red flag for us to remove these dangerous chemicals from our food supply, then what will? There’s no defense, as the evidence against the usage of this poison is insurmountable. Still, this court ruling marks a step forward towards a cleaner, safer future for our children, our farmers, and all of humanity. We must keep pressing on to restore the planet to its natural, organic state once more. The ban on chlorpyrifos is expected to be complete by the summer.
About the Author:
Noah Papafagos is the owner of NJPwriting.com. Noah is a freelance content writer, copywriter, and NASM certified personal trainer who loves health, fitness, philosophy and nature. He enjoys writing about anything that makes Earth a better place. Find him here: NJPwriting – Get copywriting that sells / Noah Papafagos – Medium
